Assertiveness Question:

There may be several reasons that people may struggle to be assertive. For some, there may be an underlying belief that others will not like them if they do not do things as others want them to do. They may believe that others will be hurt or disappointed if they say no to a request. There may be a strong belief that others should come first. They may believe that they do not have the right to speak their own needs and opinions. For others, they may not know exactly what they want out of life and so they go along with others who have stronger opinions. These types of beliefs can be deeply ingrained but very limiting. Other barriers to assertiveness may include high levels of anxiety or fear about being assertive and a lack of skills for effective self-expression.